A temple town, Maheshwar situated on the banks of the River Narmada finds mention in the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata. The temples at Maheshwar are the major tourist attractions and the intricate artistry and craftsmanship hold the tourists in awe. Today, this town also draws the activists of Narmada Bachao Andolan to protest against the Sardar Sarovar Project which threatens to displace thousands of people from their traditional lands. Initially Maheshwar was known as Mahishamati. It was the capital of King Kartivarjun and is known as the land of temples as there are various ancient temples that were built ages ago. The city is famous as the place was ruled by the legendary queen Maharani Ahilya Bai, the ruler of Holkar dynasty. Maheshwar houses one of India's best handloom industries where cotton saris are produced. These Maheshwari saris are considered the finest in India and are famous all over.
The town of Maheshwar is situated on the site of the ancient city of Mahesvari. It used to be the capital during the reign of King Kartavirya Arjuna, who is mentioned in the world famous Indian epics Mahabharata and Ramayana.
In the late eighteenth century, Maheshwar served as the capital of Rajmata Ahilya Devi Holkar, Queen of the state of Indore, Madhya Pradesh. She is credited with building a lot of temples and other sculptures, forts – most of the ruins are her tribute to the city that served as her capital.
Best For:
· Historical Center · Sight seeing, and photography · Festivals and performances · Narmada River · Architecture and beautiful carvings on temples
Most large hotels are able to exchange currency/travellers cheques though one can get a better rate at bigger bank branches. There is also a currency change counter at the airport. Most shops and establishments accept Visa and Mastercard. American Express is accepted in fewer places. There are a number of ATMs around the city, and a number of accept credit and debit cards issued by foreign banks.
Maheshwar Ghats
By the banks of River Narmada are the Ahilya, Peshwa and Fanase Ghats named after dynasties. These Ghats are frequented by pilgrims who seek peace by the calm waters of Rover Narmada as they meditate.
Rajgaddi and Rajwada :
An ideal spot to start exploring Maheshwar, the Rajgaddi, Rajwada house and the Statue of Rani Ahilya Bai who contributed immensely to help Maheshwar regain its glory. There are antique statues and paintings which go on to depict the history of the Holkar rulers.
Maheshwar Temple
A trip to the Maheshwar Temples is inevitable. The temples of Maheshwar are famous for their excellent architecture and artistry being one of the oldest constructions that unveil the history to the recent times. The spires are very unique to these temples and there are intricately carved overhanging balconines which are marked distinctly in this style of architecture. The other temples which also give a glimpse of the Indian culture are Vithaleshwara , Kaleshwar, Ahileshwar and Rajarajeshwar temples.
Maheshwar Fort
Known for one of exhibits, the life size statue of Rani Ahilya bai seated on a throne, The Maheshwar Fort is a popular tourist spot at Maheshwar. Inside the Fort is an archaeological museum which exhibits the various possessions of the Holkar dynasty and some antiques. Maheshwar fort situated on top of a hill has a state archaeological museum and a panoramic view of the surroundings. Also, boats can be hired to sail in the Narmada river. Navdatoli- Archaeological Site
Discovered in the 1950s , the Navdatoli Archaeological site is situated just outside Maheshwar. Lot of painted pottery and microliths were excavated. On further research it was found that the place had been home to people of many cultures from Lower Paleolithic period till 18th century.
Shiv mandirs
Maheshwar is abode of Lord Shiva and has a number of Shiv mandirs. Some of the temples are named after different names and avatars of Shiva and known as Kashivishwnath temple, Rajrajeshwar temple, Omkareshwar temple, Tilbhandeshwar temple, Kaleshwar temple, Jaleshwar temple and Pandrinath temple.
Sahastradhara
The Sahastradhara is a waterfall near Maheshwar where Narmada river turns into thousands of streams after hitting rocks raising from the river bed. The name Sahastradhara is a sandhi of two Hindi words Sahastra meaning thousand and Dhara meaning stream.
Chhatris at Rauera
Maheshwar is famous for the Chhatris (cenotaphs) built during the Holkar era. Rauera, a small village between Omkareshwar and Maheshwar is famous for the Chhatri of Baji Rao Peshwa-I, the popular and powerful ruler of Peshwa dynasty. It is believed that ashes of Peshwa are kept here.
Maheshawar Dam
Maheshawar Dam near Maheshwar is one of the planned large dams which is to be built on Narmada river under Narmada valley development project and is slated to provide 400 Megawatts in energy.
The climate in Sanchi is moderate ranging between 24°- 48° C during summer and between 9°-36 °C during winter. The summer is relatively hot. The best time to visit Bhopal would be between September to February.
The best buy from Maheshwar without a doubt has to be the Maheshwari saris known all over the world. These saris are hand woven and are known for the fine and pleasing aesthetic colour combinations. The motifs on the Maheshwari Saris are all derived from the carvings on the temples and palace built at Maheshwar.
Domestic Flights
Even for domestic travelers, Indore is the nearest airport to get to the town of Maheshwar.
International Flight:
The nearest airport is Indore [91 kms] which is a commercial city and also the capital of the state of Madhya Pradesh.:
Road Travel
The town of Maheshwar is located 13 km east of National Highway Number 3 – also known as the Mumbai- Agra Highway. A lot of buses are operated along the Indore- Maheshwar route.
Train Travel
Nearest railway stations are Barwaha [39 km], Indore [91 km], Khandwa [110 km] on the Western railway.
Where To Eat:
There are a lot of local stalls and restaurants where one can relish North Indian cuisine. Some of the hotels also have some restaurants within their own premises.
Where To Stay:
There are no luxury hotels to stay here but there are economical hotels with basic facilities. One of the best options to stay at Maheshwar is the Narmada Resort.
You can find three star hotels in the commercial center of Indore which is 91 kms away from Maheshwar.
• Indore: It is the commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh. It is also the largest city in the state. It is about 91 kms away from Maheshwar.
• Barwani: It is a small town in Barwani District in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is situated near the left bank of the Narmada River, and is the administrative seat of Barwani District and formerly served as the capital of the former princely state of Barwani. It can be reached by road only. Nearest airport and railway station is located at Indore [150 kms].
• Omkareshwar: It is an ancient religious place in the state of Madhya Pradesh, and it is on an island called Mandhata or Shivapuri in the Narmada River and its shape represents the Hindu sacred word, “Om”. Recommended Circuits:
Maheshwar is considered the cosmopolitan capital of Madhya Pradesh. It has one of India's best handloom industries and also a temple town frequented by pilgrims. However, as of date, it has made it to the news with the Narmada Bachao Andolan.
